ArtsPraxis Volume 4 Number 1 © 2017

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion: Drama for Life-Skills in Nigeria KAITLIN O. K. JASKOLSKI

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN kaitlin.kearns@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the on-going development of a Drama for Life-

Skills project in Lagos, Nigeria, which embraces aspects of applied &

educational theatre practices. Using neurodevelopmental disability

assessments and standards, the project creates a simultaneous

balance of teaching and learning life skills in the disability community.

It focuses on work currently being done with students of the Children’s

Development Centre Lagos, incorporating theatre practices into the

daily living activities of adolescents with disabilities with the goal of

gaining increased life skills. In developing their most recent production,

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion, members of the Centre team up with

teaching artists, therapists and community members to teach, learn,

practice and incorporate life skills with theatrical performances

designed for schools and community centers throughout Nigeria.

Company members with disabilities (including autism, cerebral palsy,

and various genetic disorders) perform with the hope of showcasing

their abilities, ending stigma, and inspiring opportunities for the

disability community throughout the nation. The paper will include

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

39

anecdotes and analyzation from the performance praxis, development

of advocacy and vocationally-based theatre performances, and ways

to incorporate disability therapies (occupational, physical, multisensory,

communication) into theatrical performances. The paper also

discusses the importance of inclusion in destigmatizing disability and

the cognitive benefits of applied theatre within communities.

The sun stabs through the open windows of a large community center;

the air is stale, humid and filled with scents of petrol, exhaust and the

sweat of the 300 or so people crammed inside its doors. Outside, the

Islamic Call to Prayer beacons from the patch of concrete being used

as a makeshift mosque, while sounds of a sermon are garbled

deafeningly through the amplifier of a Pentecostal church across the

street. The community center is surrounded by traffic “go-slows” (traffic

jams), with buses stuffed to capacity by people and goods to sell at the

nearby market. Hundreds, if not thousands of drivers, honking horns or

yelling out of the windows mix with the sounds of street vendors

hawking their wares in a multitude of languages: English, Igbo, Yoruba,

Hausa and a mix of Pidgin. Children in wheelchairs or homemade

scooters tap on the car windows, begging for food or money; they are

patently ignored or worse, berated. There are people everywhere. This

is Lagos. This is Nigeria.

The crowd inside the community center sweats patiently as a

father pontificates on the stigma of disability and lists all the things his

son cannot do. Suddenly, a blur of cell phones are raised and aimed at

5 Nigerian astronauts, donned in green and white papier-mâché

helmets, as they take the stage. The crowd goes wild: cheering and

yelling as the astronauts begin to train using physical therapy

exercises. The audience stands and sings along with the national

anthem before the astronauts ready for their first countdown to blast-

off. Three galaxies, dressed in black capes decked with stars, dance

and parade planet-lanterns as the astronauts leave earth and discover

a new planet: the Planet of Inclusion. The crowd cheers as the

Nigerian flag is wedged into the sand, and screams with laughter as

mysterious space creatures surprise the brave astronauts. The space

creatures are familiar, dressed in colorful Nigerian ankara fabric but

have a surplus of extra arms, legs, mouths and eyes. The astronauts

are afraid at first, but show compassion to the space creatures and

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion

40

soon the whole group is drumming, dancing, teaching each other to

cook, paint, clean or make beads. The audience is shocked; not

because of the extraterrestrial experience in front of them, but because

they have not seen an astronaut with Autism Spectrum Disorder teach

someone how to cook. Nor has a space creature with Down Syndrome

graced the stage with such incredible dance moves while an astronaut,

whose family believes she cannot speak, sings with heart and soul

over the cacophony of noise surrounding the community center. The

first performance of the Children’s Developmental Centre’s Planet of

Inclusion ends with a standing ovation.

The response of families, teachers and advocates after the first

performance is not typical in Nigeria. People with disabilities are

stigmatized, feared, and often kept separate from mainstream society.

The stigma of disability in Nigeria creates fear and misunderstanding

due to cultural and religious beliefs of sin, witchcraft and shame.

Therapist Maureen Chubamachie explains Nigerian stigma

surrounding disability: “To the elite, it is biological, genetic, but to the

common Nigerians, the masses, it is a curse, it is evil, it is punishment

for the sins of the parents or ancestors. It is believed that they bring

bad luck” (2016). In the commotion following the first performance, a

mother asks, “what juju [witchcraft] have you used to cure my child?”

WHAT IS DRAMA FOR LIFE-SKILLS?

Drama for Life-Skills is an arts-based program that uses task-

assessment and drama to teach and reinforce life skills while

promoting advocacy, vocational training and independent living for

adolescents and young adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities. It

began with a focus on how to teach specific skills for living (such as

cooking a meal, brushing your teeth, or asking for help), and follows

Boal concepts of solidary multiplication, or “one only learns when one

teaches” (Boal, 2006, p. 51). Students first learn life skills tasks

structured around cognitive assessment tools; upon mastery of each

task, the student then uses drama to model and teach other students

the task. The company of performers with disabilities then works

through the dramatic process to create a theatre performance around

the set of skills being learned, and creates a drama incorporating each

task. The performance of such a task-guided theatre performance is

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

41

then used to teach peers, families, and communities about the abilities

of the performance company.

Drama for Life-Skills overlaps methods of teaching life skills to

special needs populations, including applied and educational theatre

praxis and disability arts performance, without specifically fitting into

any precise category. Though the foundation of Drama for Life-Skills is

heavily weighted in Boal, there are many influences from Applied

Theatre and the Disability Arts Movement. It is important to

acknowledge areas of resonance and divergence within each method.

With this in mind, it is essential to stipulate three critical aspects of

Drama for Life-Skills: neurodevelopmental disorders, a definition of life

skills, and task analysis.

ASTRONAUT TRAINING: SPECIAL EDUCATION, LIFE-SKILLS,

AND TASK ANALYSIS

The five brave Nigerian astronauts are members of the adolescent and

adult unit at the Children’s Development Centre (CDC), founded by Dr.

Yinka Akindadayomi. It is a one of just a handful of Nigerian institutions

where children and young people with neurodevelopmental disabilities

have a sense of belonging, as the Nigerian culture often shuns those

with disabilities. The adult and adolescent unit of the CDC currently

consists of 35 members between the ages of 16-48, all with varying

degrees and spectrums of disabilities, most falling within the realm of

neurodevelopmental disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) groups neurodevelopmental

disorders as those that “manifest early in development…characterized

by developmental deficits that produce impairments of personal, social,

academic or occupational functioning.” Disabilities that fall into this

category include but are not limited to: Autism Spectrum Disorder,

Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, genetic

disorders, intellectual disabilities and motor disorders (Porter 2016).

Neurodevelopmental disorders are spectrum disorders, wherein what

applies to one learner, may (but usually will not) apply to another with

the same diagnosis. For the purpose of this paper, the term

neurodevelopmental disorders/disabilities and special needs are used

interchangeably. The CDC, as one of few special education centers,

has a vision focused on the creation of centers in more local

government areas and other states within Nigeria. Due to the huge

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion

42

gaps identified in providing appropriate services to children and young

people with neurodevelopmental disabilities in Nigerian communities,

the CDC also trains teachers and therapists in special education

methodology and assessments (Akindayomi, 2016).

The CDC uses a life skills curriculum, in addition to a variety of

physical and occupational therapies to train and teach learners at the

center. Life skills evaluation is used to benchmark and determine skills

needed to live inclusively, ideally independently, in mainstream society.

Skills include the activities of daily living such as eating, grooming,

community engagement, vocational skills, social skills, self-advocacy

and communication. Life skills curriculums have proven successful in

developing positive skills proficiencies for learners with

neurodevelopmental disorders (Meyers, 2011; Benz & Linstrom, 2003).

In order to structure educational outcomes, the CDC engages with

theories of task-analysis, as defined by Szidon (2010), and Partington

and Muller (2012) as the process of breaking a skill down into smaller,

more manageable components. Task-analysis has been shown to

effectively aid learners with neurodevelopmental disorders in acquiring

life skills (Szidon, 2010; Autism Speaks, 2013). In order to track

progress, guide and document the mastery of life skills through task

analysis for learners with neurodevelopmental disabilities, the CDC

uses the Assessment for Functional Life Skills created by Partington

and Muller (2012).

The Assessment for Functional Living Skills, referred as AFLS, is

an “assessment tool based on a criterion-referenced set of skills that

can demonstrate a learner’s current functional skill repertoire and

provide tracking information for the progressive development of these

skills” (Partington & Muller, 2012). It was developed by psychologists

and applied behavior analysists in order to efficiently document and

streamline life skills development. Each learner works individually with

a teacher or therapist to master these tasks using physical, imitative,

and verbal prompts with the goal of independent comprehension.

Task-Analysis is used to break each skill into a series of steps and

behaviors tracked by the teacher/therapist. Therapists and/or teachers

use task analysis checklists to breakdown and document each skill,

and how they are prompted or achieved. To clarify, the AFLS below is

an example of a task analysis of taking a bath from the AFLS

(Partington & Muller, 2012, p. 20):

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

43

Task Analysis of Taking a Bath

Student: ____________________ Task Analysis Skill:___________________

Objective: Able to independently take a bath

Step Behavior Date:

1 Take pajamas to bathroom

2 Close the drain

3 Turn on water

4 Adjust water to reasonable temperature

5 Fill water to appropriate height

6 Remove clothing

7 Get into tub

8 Wet entire body

9 Pour shampoo into hand

10 Apply shampoo to hair

11 Rinse shampoo from hair

12 Apply soap to washcloth

13 Rub body with soapy washcloth

14 Rinse soap off entire body

15 Open drain

16 Get out of tub

17 Dry entire body with towel

18 Hang up towel

19 Put on pajamas

20 Put dirty clothes in hamper

SUM of Independent responses

% Independent

Assessment for Functional Living Skills (Partington & Muller, pg. 50, 2012)

+= independent

V=verbal prompt

I=Imitative prompt

G= Gesture

PP= Partial physical prompt

FP= Full physical prompt

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion

44

Training teachers and therapists at the CDC in life skills curriculums,

task analysis and implementing documentation and assessments

through AFLS led to the creation of a drama intervention process:

Drama for Life-Skills.

COUNTDOWN TO BLAST OFF: ASSESSMENTS AND THEORY

LEAD TO DRAMA FOR LIFE-SKILLS

With great anticipation, the brave Nigerian astronauts build a space

craft to support their adventure, then countdown to blast off into a

world of the unknown. This metaphor could also be applied to the

CDC’s implementation of the AFLS curriculum with the Adult and

Adolescent unit: teachers and therapists count down steps of a task

analysis, with hopes of blasting off into the unknown world of

independence and life skill mastery. Unfortunately, unlike the success

of the astronauts, the repetition of behaviors and steps during task

analysis soon proved to be frustrating for both learners and facilitators.

Learners were bored, teachers were bored and instead of blasting off,

the repetitive process of learning led to burnout. Therapists and

teachers continued to slog through task analysis, documenting by

using Partington & Muller’s prompting guidelines with physical,

imitative and verbal prompts and gestures. The burnout and the

repetitive scenes of prompting students through skills development

sparked the idea of incorporating drama process into the educational

praxis.

Educational drama researchers and theorists have observed ways

to teach through drama with special needs learners that align with

Drama for Life-Skills task assessment approach. Ann Cattanach

describes a drama process with special needs learners as a “tasks and

skills model” (1996, p. 76) for general social skills and particular tasks.

McCurrach & Darnley discuss how drama games and activities used in

repetition can be used to develop a performance. They also observe

that some actors with learning or neurodevelopmental disabilities “find

focusing on a task much easier than others, so clear explanations,

patience and repetition are always of paramount importance in tackling

any game, or indeed rehearsal” (1999, p. 37). Sheratt & Peter

encourage teachers to use drama with special needs students by

incorporating existing knowledge and drawing upon practical skills in

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

45

tasks that are directly within their experience and capabilities (2002).

To keep each task analysis fresh, we began to incorporate

imagination and play into our repetitive practice. A student completing

vocational task analysis of baking a cake might complete the steps

alone with some prompting. Then repeat the task, guided by teachers

and therapists, pretending to be on a boat with friends, or baking a

cake for her sister’s wedding. The idea of incorporating play and role-

play into learning is critical in educational drama-in-education praxis for

learners with special needs (Kempe, 1996; Cattanach, 1996; Jennings,

1990; Ramamoorthi & Nelson, 2011; Sherrat & Peter, 2002; Peter,

1995). We began to “differentiate instruction,” as described by Carol

Ann Tomlinson (2014), modifying the ways we taught task steps and

behaviors and teaching each chore in a variety of ways. We wrote

songs about each step of a task; we created dance moves for each

step; we drew or took pictures of each step; we made each task into

game. Ideologies of educational drama (such as the work of

Heathcote, O’Neill, and Neelands) outline a variety of exercises and

techniques to enhance learning through dramatic process, but for the

sake of brevity, this paper will focus on theorists that specifically focus

on disability and special needs. It is with the differentiated instruction—

the addition of roles, games, songs, and movement—students and

facilitators began enjoying the lessons more when the focus wasn’t

only on checking the boxes but on applying the experience to real or

imagined scenarios.

Individuals began collaborating on their task analysis: once

mastery of a task was completed individually, groups would form to

complete the task together. Students who required additional

assistance worked within their group to find success. This peer-

mentoring allowed for all students to be independent of teachers and

therapists (Kempe & Tissot, 2012). Additional support systems were

included to allow all students access to the dramatic process including

modifications, visual cues, side-coaching, prompting, group work,

imitation, multisensory exercises and addition of props and costumes

(Kempe, 1996; Cattanach, 1996; McCurrach & Darnley, 1999; Bailey,

2010; Sheratt & Peter, 2002; O’Sullivan, 2016; Peter, 1995;

Ramamoorthi & Nelson, 2011). Each groups’ task analysis

performance became more complex; they began to reflect the

strengths and abilities of each individual.

Eventually, for positive reinforcement, we began to take groups

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion

46

into the school and preschool units of the Centre to perform their task

analysis scenes. In these instances, we were able to establish our

interpretation of Boal’s concept of solidary multiplication, “each group

will have to organize other small groups to which they can transmit the

learning, following the notion that one only learns when one teaches, in

the quest of the Multiplicatory Effect” (Boal, 2006, p. 51). A group of

adolescents combined their task analysis of baking a cake; they

learned a song of the steps, created a dance, a pantomime of selling

and eating the cake and developed a storyline around the birthday

celebration of a favored cartoon character. This scene was then

performed for the school unit; post-performance, the school age

children were excitedly included in the imaginary cake baking process.

Each member of the adolescent group then began teaching a school

child, one-on-one, the steps and behaviors in the task analysis of

baking a cake, just as their teachers and therapists had done for them.

LANDING ON THE PLANET OF INCLUSION AND THE ON-GOING

WORK IN DRAMA FOR LIFE-SKILLS

Task analysis scenes became more and more performance-based,

and with the rehearsal of the dramatic interpretation of each AFLS

task, members of the adult unit became encouraged to complete more

tasks. The first opportunity to share our learning and teaching abilities

with the community culminated with the creation and performance of

The Planet of Inclusion. Educational drama theorists emphasize

repetition of exercises and building performances slowly, broken into

small achievable steps, to structure and reinforce skill mastery

(Cattanach, 1996; McCurrach & Darnley, 1999; Bailey, 2010; Sheratt &

Peter, 2002; O’Sullivan, 2016; Peter, 1995; Ramamoorthi & Nelson,

2011).

The task-based theatre performance, devised through the drama

process, focuses on the talents and abilities of each individual

performer (see Tomlinson, 1982; Kempe, 2010; Bailey, 2010;

McCurrach & Darnley, 1999) and emphasizes “possibilities, rather than

limitations” (Lipkin & Fox, 2001, p. 129). This subsequently creates a

“multidisciplinary piece” (Lipkin & Fox, 2001, p. 124) served by a “rich

eclecticism” (Hargraves, 2015, p. 229). The “episodic nature of the

piece, and its reliance on movement, music, and constant shifts

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

47

between the types of dialogue and teamwork occurring has Brechtian

underpinnings, with a similar bow towards the audience” (Lipkin & Fox,

2001, p. 131). The performance is created to involve the community at

large (McCurrach & Darnley, 1999; Lipkin & Fox, 2001) and with each

performance and post-performance student-teaching-student

experience, confidence and task mastery began to increase in all units

of the CDC.

SPACE CREATURES & ASTRONAUTS: DIFFERING CONTEXTS

WORKING TOGETHER

The brave Nigerian astronauts first were afraid of the space creatures

because they came from different contexts; they looked and acted

differently from them. When they began to work together, teaching

each other, they realized they enjoyed many of the same things. The

skills the space creatures and astronauts teach each other in the

performance are indicative of Drama for Life-Skills focus on tangible

tasks for vocational and independent living. An increasing number of

studies are examining theatre intervention for the development of

social-emotional skills for autism and neurodevelopmental disorders

(Lipkin & Fox, 2015; O’Sullivan, 2016; Corbett et. al., 2010;

Ramamoorthi & Nelson, 2011; Jindal-Snape & Verttraino, 2007).

These studies correlate similar findings in the increased development

of intangible life skills such as communication, confidence, and social

interaction. Specific studies also detail enhanced social skills, such as

vocational training (Ramamorrthi & Nelson, 2001), problem-solving,

risk taking (O’Sullivan, 2016). The findings and theories, generated by

drama intervention, are based in western perspectives; the theorists

and researchers only conducting work in North America and western

Europe. In these cultures, schools and programs based on theory are

conducted in inclusive settings, combining mainstream students with

students with disabilities, and supported by government mandated

laws and special needs curriculums. Play is the instigating force for

western drama in education processes (Cattanach, 1996; Kempe,

1996; Jennings, 1990), but in the Nigerian context, the tangible life

skills tasks initiate the drama process and the ability to play. The

context for Drama for Life-Skills differs due to stigma, non-inclusive

education practices (students are isolated in special needs only

schools), and underdeveloped disability laws and protections. Though

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion

48

skills are developed in both areas (tangible & intangible), it is the task

development that teaches drama as opposed to the drama that

teaches tasks for Drama for Life-Skills.

Another set of contexts Drama for Life-Skills negotiates is

between the arts-based drama process and the clinical implementation

and documentation of the AFLS. The assessment allows structure and

goalsetting to guide the drama process, and elicits the scientific data to

substantiate claims of increased life skill mastery. Jindial-Snape &

Verttraino recognize a number of studies in drama process for social-

emotional development with special needs, but find that though most

studies “add to the body of knowledge around this and the strategies

that can be used, most author/s have not provided enough evidence to

substantiate their claims” (2007, p. 115). Using AFLS assessment,

Drama for Life-Skills is navigating ways to document evidence to

support these claims, as well as the success and challenges for each

individual participant.

A third set of contexts negotiated by Drama for Life-Skills is the

drama-based process versus the culminating theatre performance.

Currently, the work focuses on the process of drama as a combination

of applied theatre, educational theatre and special education teaching

methodology. But we are on the cusp of developing full-fledge theatre

performance productions. The future work of Drama for Life-Skills will

need to investigate how the drama process could lead to the creation

of disability theatre, described by Johnson as “artists with disabilities

who pursue an activist perspective, dismantling stereotypes,

challenging stigma, and reimagining disability as a valued human

condition” (2012, p. 5).

DISCOVERING A PLANET OF INCLUSION: CONCLUSIONS AND

NEED FOR CONTINUED RESEARCH

In the commotion following the first community performance, a mother

asks, “what juju [witchcraft] have you used to cure my child?” Teachers

and therapists respond with attempts to explain how the passions and

interests of each student creates the performance. They explain how

her daughter is one of the best teachers in the class, an amazingly

passionate performer, and how grateful they are that she shares her

talents and abilities. “Ah-ah, no, my daughter has no speech,” her

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

49

mother replies. Her daughter, one of the astronauts, sang proud and

passionately and was the only astronaut to articulate each of the

narration lines; she truly shined on stage. A teacher looks to her

student standing next to her mother, and asks her to tell her mom

about how the drama was practiced. There is only silence and nodding

of her head. It appears that the brave, beautiful astronaut is no longer

verbal and obviously uncomfortable with the present conversation. Our

work is not complete; the successful life skills demonstrated on the

stage must transfer to improving the quality of everyday life.

The significance of the Drama for Life-Skills process is its

contribution to establishing a basis for cross-cultural applications of the

drama process with special needs outside of the western context. The

nature of the work being done furthers the field by adding to the almost

nonexistent dramatic work with disabilities being done in West Africa.

The use of AFLS allows a standardized structure of tangible life-skills,

the ability to track and document what works and does not work with

each person, and a way to substantiate evidence for drama

intervention. We are still collecting qualitative and quantitative data,

receiving feedback from parents and the community, and analyzing the

AFLS data sheets in order to gain a full understanding of the outcomes

of Drama for Life-Skills interventions. Though the research is ongoing,

there are some outcomes that are already becoming apparent. Life

skills task mastery has risen exponentially at the CDC. The amount of

teacher and therapist turnover has decreased, and staff are more

engaged in lesson planning and assessments. Teachers and

therapists have confessed to increased levels of excitement in

planning tasks and lessons, in order to challenge students and add

more scenes to the performances. The school and preschool students

are forming bonds and relationships with their peer-mentors in the

adult unit. Parents have expressed their pride and support for the

program, some asking for the intervention performances to spread to

the younger units. And perhaps most notably, adults and adolescents

involved in the performances show increased signs of confidence,

community and self-advocacy throughout the school and curriculum.

As Drama for Life-Skills continues to develop and the

performances created from the process expand, the following

questions arise, guiding the next steps of research: Once these skills

are acquired, how do we break the barriers of stigma in Nigeria society

to allow these skills to flourish? How do we educate and inspire the

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion

50

families and the communities? Nigeria has gained a passionate

disability inclusive theatre company full of potential. We are creating

opportunities for Nigerians with neurodevelopmental disabilities, and

as they take a bow following a performance, in the words of Augusto

Boal, “The end is the beginning!” (Boal, 2006, 4).

SUGGESTED CITATION

Jaskolski, K. O. K. (2017). Discovering a planet of inclusion: Drama for

life-skills in Nigeria. Arts Praxis, 4 (1), 38-53.

REFERENCES

Akinadayomi, Y. (2016). Personal communication & CDC interviews.

Autism Speaks. (2016, December 12). Task analysis & applied

behavior analysis.

Bailey, S. (2010). Barrier-free theatre: Including everyone in theatre

arts—in schools, recreation, and arts programs—regardless of

(dis)ability. Enumclaw, WA: Idyll Arbor, Inc.

Benz, M. R. & Linstrom, I. (2003). Transition focused education. The

Journal of Special Education, 37 (3), 174-183.

Boal, A. (1979). Theatre of the oppressed. New York: Theatre

Communications Group.

Boal, A. (1992). Games for actors and non-actors (2nd ed.). London:

Routledge.

Boal, A. (2006). The aesthetics of the oppressed. New York:

Routledge.

Campbell, A. (2013). Lawnmowers Independent Theatre Company:

The politics of making. In C. McAvinchey (Ed.), Performance and

community: Commentary and case studies (75-104). New York:

Bloomsbury.

Cattanach, A. (1992). Drama for people with special needs. London: A

& C Black Limited.

Chubmachie, M. (2016). Personal communication & CDC Interview.

Corbett, B. A., Key, A., Qualls, L., Fecteau, S., Newson, C., Coke, C. &

Yoder, P. (2016). Improvement in social competence using a

randomized trial of a theatre intervention for children with autism

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

51

spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental

Disorders, 46 (2), 658-672.

Corbett, B. A., Swain, D. M., Coke, C., Simon, D., Newsom, C.,

Houchins-Juarez, N., Jenson, A., Wang, L. & Song, Y. (2014).

Improvement in social deficits in autism spectrum disorders using

a theatre-based, peer-mediated intervention. Autism Research, 7,

4-16.

Dreher, A. (2010). Functional literacy in a life skills curriculum.

Educator's Voice, 3, 82-89.

Eckard, B. J. & Myers, W. (2009). Beyond disability: A dialogue with

members of the Improbable Theatre Company. RiDE: The Journal

of Applied Theatre and Performance, 14 (1), 59-74.

Elkin, S. (2015). Embrace inclusivity. The Stage Retrived.

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum

International Publishing Group.

Hargrave, M. (2015). Theatres of learning disability. New York:

Palgrave Macmillan.

Jennings, S. (1979). Remedial drama. London: Pitman Publishing

Limited.

Jennings, S. (1990). Dramatherapy with families, groups and

individuals. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Jindal-Snape, D. & Vettraino, E. (2007). Drama techniques for the

enhancement of social-emotional development in people with

special needs: A review of research. International Journal of

Special Education, 22 (1).

Johnson, K. (2012). Stage turns: Canadian disability theatre. Quebec:

Magill-Queen's University Press.

Kempe, A. (1996). Drama education and special needs. Cheltenham:

Stanley Thornes Publishers Limited.

Kempe, A. (2010). Drama and the education of young people with

special needs. In S. Schonmann (Ed.), Key concepts in

theatre/drama education (165-169). New York: Sense Publishers.

Kempe, A. (2013). Drama, disability and education. New York:

Routledge.

Kempe, A. & Tissot, C. (2012). The use of drama to teach social skills

in a special school setting for students with autism. Support for

Learning, 27, 97-102.

McCurrach, I. & Darnley, B. (1999). Special talents, special needs.

London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Discovering a Planet of Inclusion

52

O'Sullivan, C. (2016). A longitudinal study of the impact of O’Sullivan’s

social drama model with children and young people with autism

in Ireland.

Partington, J. W. & Muller, M. M. (2012). The assessment of functional

living skills. California: Behaviour Analysis Inc.

Peter, M. (1995). Drama for all. London: David Fulton Publishers.

Porter, D. A. (2016). Unspecified neurodevelopmental disorder.

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).

Porter, D. A. (2016, 10 January). 2016 - Last update. Unspecified

neurodevelopmental disorder. Diagnostic and statistical manual of

mental disorders (5th ed.).

Ramamoorthi, P. & Nelson, A. (2011). Drama education for individuals

on the autism spectrum. In S. Schonmann (Ed.), Key concepts in

theatre/drama education (177-181). New York: Sense Publishers.

Sherrat, D. & Peter, M. (2002). Developing play and drama in children

with autistic spectrum disorders. New York: David Fulton

Publishers Ltd.

Szidon, K. & Franzone, E. (2009). Task analysis: Steps for

implementation. University of Wisconsin: National Professional

Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to

the needs of all learners (2nd ed.). Virginia: Association for

Supervision & Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson, R. (1982). Disability, theatre and education. London:

Souvenir Press.

Warren, B. (1988). Disability and social performance: Using drama to

achieve successful "acts of being." Cambridge: Brookline Books,

Inc.

Warren, B. (1993) Using the creative arts in therapy (2nd ed.). London:

Croom Helm Ltd.

Kaitlin O. K. Jaskolski

53

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Kaitlin Kearns Jaskolski is a PhD candidate at the University of Cape

Town, South Africa. She received her MA in Educational Theatre at

New York University in 2013 and her BA in Directing and Design at

Pepperdine University in 2008. Her research reflects interests in cross-

cultural inclusive theatre, with a focus on teacher training and cognitive

benefits of theatre intervention for adolescents with developmental

disorders. Since 2013, Kate has been a teaching-artist and educational

consultant in Lagos, Nigeria. Prior moving to the African continent,

Kate founded the Westside Inclusive Theatre in Houston, and trained

with inclusive theatres in Los Angeles, New York, the Dominican

Republic, and around West Africa.